FSSAI bats for nil GST on packaged milk products

At present, milk products attract 5 per cent GST, he added. Releasing an action plan to ensure quality and safety of milk and milk products

Boy (2-4) holding glass of milk on table, close-up

New Delhi: Food regulator FSSAI will write to the GST council to remove tax on packaged milk products to boost sales as it found quality and hygiene concerns in recent sample testing of milk products that were sold loose in the retail market, its CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal said.

At present, milk products attract 5 per cent GST, he added. Releasing an action plan to ensure quality and safety of milk and milk products on the National Milk Day, Agarwal announced that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has provided testing equipment to states for increasing surveillance and enforcements.

It has decided to launch a scheme to verify one lakh milk vendors, out of 25 lakh such vendors across the country. He said the registration of milk vendors has already been mandatory under the Food Safety and Standards Act but not more than 5 per cent vendors have compiled.

"Milk and milk product safety is our high priority. We have prepared a comprehensive action plan to deal with quality and safety concerns.

"We are targeting to verify one lakh milk vendor to begin with. Based on the success, this can be made mandatory," Agarwal told reporters here.

Under the 'Verified Milk Vendors Scheme' to be launched in one-and-a-half months, milk vendors can voluntarily register through online registration portal and would be provided photo-identity card and properly calibrated lactometer.